Stranger Things Have Happened
by roomfullofstrangers
Summary: When Regina Mills is accidentally given a wrong phone number by her friend Emma Swan, her life might just be turned upside down by Robin Locksley.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own any of the characters. They belong to the Once Upon a Time creators.**

 **Inspired by the prompt "I've been texting my friend for about a week now and they don't reply but turns out I was texting a random person and there was some deep personal stuff i sent oh my god why are they calling me now" by dailyau on Tumblr.**

 **Big thanks to Sarah ( ginaandrobbie) for betaing the very first version of this and also a big thank you to TreNesha ( queen-of-the-merry-men) who helped me with the plot and did the betaing for the finished version of the Prologue.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

Her phone buzzed, just when she had put her paperwork, which had been lying about her office all day long, aside. She calmly got up from her moving chair to walk over to the device and languidly stared at its display. When she noticed who had sent the text her eyes widened in surprise.

 _New message from Emma Swan._

She opened the message curiously while she swiftly brushed her hair to its place behind her ear where it never seemed to stay.

" _Hey there, I know it's been a while… I've got something I need to tell you. It's urgent and it definitely requires drinks. Meet me tonight at the Magic Rabbit. 8 o'clock._

 _Emma x"_

Regina scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and wondered if she would finally discover the reason behind Emma's distant behaviour over the last few weeks.

Of course she was disappointed that the two of them barely managed to find the time to catch up. She also had to admit she was mad at her best friend for not seeming to care about her at all lately. Yet Regina would be lying if she said she hadn't been worried about the young cop. She was glad Emma finally seemed to be seeking for her company again.

Regina quickly typed a reply, unable to contain a snappy remark at the end of the text.

" _Oh hello, Miss I-don't-feel-like-seeing-my-best-friend. Back to normal again? Thanks for ignoring me for the past few weeks. I'll be there tonight because I care about you. A lot._

 _That doesn't mean I am not angry at you, just to let you know…_

 _See you soon,_

 _a very pissed Regina."_

She hoped that she wasn't being too harsh on her friend, but it was Emma, after all, who hadn't answered any texts or calls - let alone open the door after ringing the bell for what seemed like an eternity - for Regina.

"Emma is tough, she can handle some bitterness," muttered Regina, calming her conscience.

Talking to herself wasn't an uncommon thing for her. It always happened whenever she felt slightly nervous about something, in this case the oncoming evening with Emma.

For a short moment she played with the idea of telling Leopold, her boyfriend, about her plans for tonight but then she remembered he wouldn't even be home until late. It was a Wednesday so he would be out playing tennis with his friends. It had been their tradition since they all met at Columbia University while studying medicine.

She and Leo had been going out for almost two years now. Her mother Cora was starting to get impatient about the couple finally getting engaged. She called Regina multiple times a week, asking about anything unusual about her long-term boyfriend's demeanor, which Regina always answered with, "No, mother". She was the one who introduced the wealthy heart surgeon, who she had met at a medical conference held in Philadelphia, to her daughter.

Even though Professor Leopold Roy was almost twenty years older than Regina her mother insisted that they were a "perfect match". In Regina's eyes they were far from it.

He had lost his first wife Eva to cancer and still seemed to cling onto her, even though she had been dead for four and a half years now. He was rarely at their home and when he was they would argue about insignificant things, like whose turn it was to run errands next.

She couldn't help but feel like Leopold didn't truly love her; he only loved showing her off in front of his friends like one of his tennis trophies.

Regina felt quite unhappy in their relationship, yet her mother pressured her into believing that she was simply afraid of marriage and couldn't even think the word without her mind making up excuses for not facing a bright future with Leopold. Still Regina presumed she was at the very bottom of his list of priorities; work, success and his friends being at the top.

There was most definitely no need in telling him about her evening out with Emma.

###

The rest of Regina's work day in one of the most well-known law firms in New York passed far too slowly for her liking. She constantly checked the fashionable clock, which was hung up on the wall opposite to her glass desk, only to see that no more than ten minutes had passed since she last checked it.

Shortly before six o'clock, she put one of the cases she had been working on into her bag, as she wanted to go through it again at home. Afterwards she stepped out of her office and closed the fragile door carefully behind her.

On her way out she ran into her colleague Mallory Ignis, who she had grown quite close with since working in the office.

"Hello dear, how was your day?" Mal asked, who was also known as the Dragon in the office for the fiery way she was defending her clients in court.

"Hi Mal," Regina replied with a smile on her face after hugging the blonde.

"It actually was quite a long day." She shrugged.

"What about yours?" Regina asked curiously.

"Only the usual. Paperwork, paperwork and even more paperwork." The blonde gave her a lopsided smirk.

"Any news?" the Dragon asked with her deep voice.

"Emma texted me this afternoon." Regina tried to hide her excitement by biting her lower lip.

"Seriously? Did she finally realise that she actually needs you in her life?" Mal's tone seemed sarcastic and incredulous at the same time.

"Mal, please don't talk about her like this. You know her. Sometimes she just needs space." She let out a deep breath which she wasn't aware of she was holding in.

"We're going out for a drink tonight".

"Well, have fun then," Mal raised her eyebrows but pulled her close nonetheless.

"Regina?" She called after her. Regina was already making her way to the door but turned around when she heard her name.

"Don't let her bring you down. I don't like to seeing you hurt," Mal said with a stern look on her face.

"I won't." Regina smiled gratefully at her friend before waving her goodbye and heading out of the tall building which seemed to be made out of glass.

Once she stepped outside, she took a deep breath of New York City's air which - although it was full of fumes - usually helped her to clear her mind. But not today. She felt nervous.

What was it that Emma had to tell her, that would make them want to have drinks? She wasn't ill, was she?

Keeping an eye on her watch, she quickly made her way to the house she shared with Leo. The walk lead her through Central Park's beautiful scenery. This was one of her favourite times of the day. Walking through the green calmed her down after a long day at work. Normally she would take a break here, sit on a bench, enjoy the warmth of the sun on her skin and watch strangers taking photographs or playing with their children in the grass. Today she needed to get home so she could get a shower and change her clothes before meeting Emma at the pub.

She arrived at the place she had called home for almost a year now, even though she didn't feel at home in the castle-like mansion owned by Leopold.

She didn't mind all the space. What she despised was the empty, cold feeling that crept through her body whenever she entered the hallway, where a couple of old pictures of Leo and Eva were still hung up on the wall.

Regina kicked off her newest pair of Louboutins, then placed them neatly in the shelf next to the door.

She headed towards the kitchen to open the fridge, which was almost empty again. She made a mental note to herself to go grocery shopping tomorrow after work.

Regina decided on preparing a bowl of salad with sweet tomatoes and leftover grilled chicken since she was in a rush, so she would be on time to meet Emma. She usually enjoyed cooking fancy meals but there was no use in it if there wasn't enough time to do it properly and nobody to eat it but her.

After she sat down at the ancient wooden table, one that could be a part of the Manhattan Art & Antiques Center, and finished her meal she carefully made her way up the massive stairs.

Regina stepped into one of the mansions' many bathrooms which was connected to her walk-in closet. She stripped out of the black pantsuit she'd worn at work and took a quick shower in order to freshen up for her meeting with Emma. Wrapping a towel around her still damp figure, Regina walked over to her wardrobe to pick out an outfit for the night. She opted for a royal blue dress that just touched her knees. Next, she strolled to her dressing table to fix her hair and make up. Regina applied another coat of her favourite red lipstick and touched up her light brown eyeshadow.

By the time she finished her make up, it was twenty minutes to eight. She made her way back into the busy streets of New York City. The walk to the Magic Rabbit took her ten minutes, so she was a tad early.

After breathing out a nervous "Here we go" Regina walked through the door and greeted the barkeeper who was engaged in a conversation with a guest. She made her way to a table in a quiet corner of the room, hoping she and Emma could get a bit of privacy in the overcrowded place.

Once a blonde waitress arrived, Regina ordered a glass of red wine. She was taking her first sip of the enticing liquid when Emma sat down on the chair opposite to her.

"Starting out classy, aren't we?" she observed. "I thought you would opt for something stronger."

"Hello, Miss Swan, it's good to see you too," Regina arched an eyebrow, unable to suppress the smile that was forming on her lips.

"Sorry," the blonde offered a smile as well. "Good to see you again, Regina."

Emma waved the waitress to come over and ordered a glass of scotch.

Regina kept a steady gaze on her friend who seemed to be avoiding eye contact at all costs. An awkward silence that filled the air with tension followed.

Hell, they hadn't seen each other in weeks, yet they didn't have a thing to talk about.

Regina was starting to feel even more disappointed in her friend than before.

She couldn't help but think that something obviously had to be on Emma's mind, usually she was always able to bring up a topic, mostly about work since she experienced a lot as a cop working in the Big Apple.

"So," Regina stated as she anxiously played with her fingers underneath the table. "You wanted to talk to me."

"Uh-huh." Emma chose that moment to intently stare at the floor. "Let's just enjoy our drinks first, then we'll talk."

###

After Emma was started to sip on her second glass of whiskey, Regina decided that it was no doubt time for ordering her beloved Appletini. By the time she took her first sip and let the liquid, which tasted of her favourite fruit, run down her throat, Emma had already finished up her drink and seemed to be quite distracted by her own thoughts once again.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Regina tried to encourage her friend to finally share what was on her mind.

"Yeah… You probably won't be happy about this," Emma looked at her with a guilt in her eyes and sad smile on her face.

"Oh come on, it can't be worse than pushing me away for what seemed like forever," Regina pressed her lips together.

Emma closed her eyes at that, taking in a deep breath, "I'm moving."

Regina turned her head away from the blonde and swallowed a little more of the alcoholic drink she was holding in her right hand.

When Emma didn't continue talking about her upcoming move she curiously asked, "Where to?"

"Storybrooke. A small town in Boston," Emma paused. "It's because I was offered a new job as a Sheriff and I've always wanted to do this, you know?"

"Are you kidding?" Regina's face lit up. "This is great news! When are you leaving? Do you need any help?" She offered her a warm smile, making a mental list of preparations about what needs to be done before her friend left.

Emma turned a bright shade of red and looked away from the brunette's face once more.

When, again, there was no reply Regina realised that something had to be wrong.

She spoke with a lower voice than usual and chose her words carefully, "You've known about this for quite a while now, haven't you?"

Emma just nodded at this statement.

"And you've avoided me for the past couple of weeks so you wouldn't have to tell me," Regina concluded.

Emma closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Regina, look, I just wanted to get some distance between us so you could see that you don't need me around all the time. You can manage standing up that idiot Leo and you've got Mal. Regina, please don't be mad at me," the blonde pleaded.

Regina took another long sip of her Appletini and avoided any eye contact with the person sitting in front of her who didn't seem to be her best friend from a few months ago. What had she been thinking these past few weeks?

"When are you leaving?" Regina asked dryly to break the uncomfortable silence.

After a beat Emma replied, "4:30 in the morning, everything has already been taken care of."

"Alright." Regina pursed her lips. "Well, thanks for letting me know in person and not via phone," she snapped at Emma, anger sparking up in her eyes.

"You know I wouldn't have done that! You're my best friend, there is no way I'd tell you such big news over the phone, Regina!"

"Seems like that's what we'll be doing from now on." Regina chewed on her lower lip and glared at her friend.

"Yes, but still, this doesn't mean that everything's changing," Emma tried to lighten the mood.

"The only thing that will change is my phone number, here let me write it down for you."

She pulled a notepad out of her handbag and scribbled down the new number for her mobile phone. She handed it over to Regina who violently pulled it out of her hand and stored it in her purse without uttering a single word.

###

"So, this is goodbye?" Regina's voice was shaking and a big lump formed in her throat.

"It's only for a few months. We'll see each other again in no time," she paused. "You have to come and visit, Regina, you're gonna love this town. It's so beautiful and calm," Emma offered a small smile while Regina was trying to keep her anger at bay.

She couldn't believe that Emma had actually been serious.

"Make sure to call or text me whenever," the blonde walked over to pull her friend into a long hug.

Regina sighed, "Will do, Sheriff to be." She released Emma out of their friendly embrace.

After saying their final goodbyes, the two women parted ways.

Regina stopped in her tracks after a few steps. She turned around to take one final look at Emma, but she was already getting into her yellow bug, ready to drive off into her next adventure.

###

When Regina arrived at the still empty mansion she got rid of her shoes. Not bothering to put them in place, she left them lying about the hallway. Regina was sad. Disappointed. Furious. All at once. She felt betrayed by Emma. How could she leave her like this?

She was about to call and confront her, but decided against it last minute.

"She needs to rest, she needs to get up early in the morning and you should calm down," Regina murmured to herself.

To distract herself, she took another shower in the pompous bathroom connected to the master bedroom. She took her time and washed her hair with her favourite shampoo that smelled like fresh lavender growing on wide fields in France.

She changed into her pajamas, wrapped herself up in her cozy gray bathing robe and brushed her teeth. After applying moisturizer on her face and body, she lay down in the double size king bed she and her boyfriend shared together and stared at the ceiling.

Regina felt guilty. Guilty for not telling her best friend how much she really means to her and how different her life will be without her living in the same city as her. How much she will actually miss her.

She eventually picked up her phone once again, looked at the time - 1:30 AM, how did time pass so quickly? - and quickly typed in Emma's new phone number so she could send her a well deserved apology.

" _Hi Emma… Sorry for snapping at you tonight. Multiple times. You know how bitter I can get. I just wanted to let you know that I am very happy that you got this new job in Storybrooke. I will make sure to visit you there once you have settled in. I'm going to miss you. Have a safe flight and call me when you've arrived!_

 _Love, Regina"_

She immediately pressed send so she wouldn't change her mind. Regina felt relieved instantly. She lifted herself up from the bed and plugged her phone onto the charger. She sighed when she crawled back under the cream coloured sheets. What a day. Once she closed her eyes, she realised how tired she had actually been all this time. It was way past her bedtime and she had to work in the morning. Mentally preparing herself for a headache the next day, she drifted off into a peaceful and dreamless slumber.

###

 _New message from unknown number._

Robin groaned when he turned around to his left to look at his alarm clock. 1:30 AM? Who even texts at this ungodly hour?

He grabbed his phone, which was lying on the floor next to his bed, plugged into the charger.

Confused, he opened the text message and saw what was meant to be an apology to a friend that was most definitely not him, as he had no intention of moving to Storybrooke, wherever the hell that was.

Robin shrugged and didn't wonder any further. He put his phone aside, turned back to his right and pulled up his blanket. He could figure out who this Regina was tomorrow. Now, it was the time to go back to bed, he had a stressful job interview ahead of him tomorrow.

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 **Author's Note:** **Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!**

 **You can find me on Tumblr keepshiningon :)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** **Thank you for all the lovely reviews on the prologue! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the one before.  
Thanks to queen-of-the-merry-men for betaing this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"So. Mister Locksley, what is it exactly that you have in mind for the theme of this restaurant?" asked August Booth, co-owner of the empty rooms that were to be turned into a restaurant soon.

"We're living in an overcrowded city where nobody seems to find the time to actually catch a proper breath," Robin started. He was dressed in a Lincoln green shirt and black pants, sitting opposite to his potential boss near the front door of what would soon be turned into a new restaurant in New York.

Robin lifted up his left hand and gestured towards the hall that had yet to be filled with furniture. "I thought of turning this place into a breath of fresh air for the guests."

"How do you plan to achieve said breath of fresh air, Mister Locksley?" the co-owner asked curiously while he amusedly lifted an eyebrow.

"By turning this restaurant into a forest, Mister Booth," Robin replied, flashing a triumphant smirk to the man sitting on the other side of the small table.  
"Putting up stones on the walls, using only wooden and cottage style furniture for the entire restaurant, including the bar, adding some nice plants here and there - some real, others fake. And to turn this restaurant into something extraordinaire," he added a dramatic pause.  
"We could build a stream connected to a waterfall starting at this corner right here." Robin pointed to a wall in the very back of the spacious room.

August pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"That's not everything I had in mind yet," Robin quickly added when he saw his reaction.  
"How about having a little event every hour?" he asked.

"Define event, Mister Locksley," August demanded, doubt clear in his voice.

"A summer rain shower. Well, not actually, but the sound of it. Along with chirping of birds. The waterfall could sound more thunderous to add to the atmosphere as well. We could get all of these sounds on tape and darken up the room when it's time for the event," Robin explained.

"That is... very unique." August Booth leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap.

It was clear to Robin that he was imagining the scene that he had just described.

 _Strike_ , he thought and grinned internally.

August changed the topic. "Mister Locksley, what type of food would match your theme?"

"I thought about finger food for the bar, for example chips - or fries as you say in American, - olives, nachos, spicy onion rings, chicken wings with different dips people can choose." Robin paused. "For starters, I thought of different types of salad and soup along with a selection of cheeses and vegetables. Main menus could include different kinds of steak and chicken and of course a variety of Burgers. I also thought of offering seafood and vegan dishes like tofu, so everybody who enters the Enchanted Forest will be pleased."

After a short break he added, "That's what I had in mind for the name by the way. As far as deserts go -"

"If I may take the word here; thank you Mister Locksley, I can tell that you have thought all of this through very well. We'll get more into the details if me and my team choose to hire you as our general manager," August politely interrupted.

"Alright, thank you very much, Mister Booth. I do hope you liked my concept. I think it's important to get a breath of fresh air into this city." Robin smiled at him.

"Yes, that is indeed true." August nodded. "Thank you for coming today, Mister Locksley."

"It was my pleasure, thank you for taking the time to listen to my plans," Robin replied gratefully.

Both of the men stood from their chairs and politely shook hands.

"We will get in touch shortly," August said while making his way to the door. "Very shortly actually, we want to start with the interior design soon, so the restaurant will be ready to open in the late stages of summer."

"Thank you very much, that sounds like a good plan. Have a good week, Mister Booth," Robin said with a charming smile on this lips that showed off his dimples.

"You too, Mister Locksley."

The duo walked out of the restaurant after saying their goodbyes and made their way into the busy streets of Midtown where they parted ways.

After a few steps Robin pulled out his phone from the back pocket of his pants. His mother had insisted he'd call as soon as he finished the job interview.

Robin's parents owned the restaurant chain The Three Arrows, which was known not only in England but also in America. "The name is supposed to represent the three Locksleys", his mother had explained when Robin asked about it when he had only been a child.  
Some of the restaurants were based in his home country, others in the states. Susan and William Locksley had been disappointed when Robin had told them that he wouldn't work for their chain anymore and move over 5000 kilometres away from his hometown Nottingham.

Still, they remained supportive of their son, when he explained his reasons. Robin wanted to get more experience in being part of a team from the very beginning, working through the tough first years of starting a restaurant. His parents had always made sure that the restaurant he was working at was already in a good position to start with. He wanted to know what it was like to build a business from scratch, as his Dad had called it.

When Robin unlocked his phone, he had two missed calls from an unknown number. While he carefully walked through the crowded sidewalk, he recalled the mysterious text from last night which had been sent from an unknown number as well.

Robin shrugged, not wasting a second thought on the missed calls. If it's urgent, he or she most likely will call again, he figured.

He checked the time in order to not disturb his parents who were on the other side of the Atlantic ocean. It was 1:34 PM in New York, so it would be about half past six for them. He quickly dialed their number to inform them that the job interview had gone well before they had dinner.

###

Regina sat on her white chair in her office going over some paper work of her newest case. Even though she'd been stuck in this position – bent over the sheets – for almost two hours now she still didn't have the slightest clue what it was all about.

The white papers filled with words in black ink were blocked out by her racing thoughts. Regina couldn't focus on anything but the worst case scenarios her mind made up about her friend. Emma hadn't answered the text she had sent late last night and hadn't called yet to tell her that she had arrived safely in the town she would call her home from now on. She was starting to get worried.

What if something had happened to her friend? Should she send another text or even call her?  
Regina wasn't an intrusive person like her boyfriend who would harass somebody over the phone for not calling immediately. She wasn't angry. She just felt worried sick.

Three short knocks interrupted her train of thought.

She hurriedly straightened her posture and smoothed the invisible creases on her cream coloured satin blouse.

"Come in," she called, pushing her dark brown curls behind her ear.

"You do know it is lunch break?" Mal gracefully walked into the office without a greeting. The dragon raised her left eyebrow while gesturing to the wall clock behind her with her perfectly manicured fingers.

"I've been working on this case for a few hours now, I didn't check the time," Regina responded. She threw a brief glance to the clock opposite of her and bit her lower lip when she realised that she had spent half of her day not doing anything productive for work.

While stepping closer to the table Mal remarked with an annoyed look on her face, "Well, let me help you with it by turning around the sheet so you can actually read what is written in this case, dear."

Regina sighed and laid her head on her arms which were folded on her desk.

Mal made her way to a corner of the room where a spare chair was neatly placed next to a shelf that held thick black folders with the inscription closed cases written in Regina's elegant handwriting.

"Didn't know you can read upside down. Any more hidden talents?" she playfully asked whilst rolling the moving chair to the opposite site of the glass desk.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes." Regina breathed out audibly and shot a miffed glare towards her colleague.

"I noticed." Mal smiled apologetically. "So, I guess the evening out with Emma didn't go well?"

"No, it's not that, the evening was great but -" Regina stopped and took another deep breath. "She's moving to Maine."

"Oh," Mal paused, confusion written on her face. "When?" She asked and pursed her shiny red lips.

"Yesterday," Regina uttered.

Mal scrunched her eyebrows and opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Regina.

"She said she'd call me as soon as she'd arrive in Storybrooke, that's the town she's moving to."

"And let me guess, she hasn't called yet," Mal concluded.

Regina nodded at this statement. "I sent her a text when I got home last night but she hasn't answered it yet. I hope she's okay," she stammered.

"I'm sure Emma is just fine. It takes a little time to settle into a new house or apartment," said Mal, trying to calm her friend. "Give her another call. I'm sure she will answer this time."

"I don't want to be pushy," Regina explained with a wistful look in her eyes.

"That's not being pushy, that's caring about a friend, Regina," Mal argued. "Now give her a call and then come downstairs for lunch. It's flatbread with avocado and feta cheese today, you'll love it," Mal encouraged with a soft smile.

"Fine. I'll be in the sitting room in a minute," Regina sighed.

Mal got up from the chair and put it back to its' place in the corner of the room.

"Mal," Regina called after her. "Thank you."

She offered her young colleague another smile. "Anytime, dear."  
Mal made her way out of the office and carefully closed the door behind her.

###

 _"Hey Emma, I hope you've had a friendly welcome in Storybrooke. How was your first day? Make sure to let me know._  
 _Love, Regina"_

###

 _"Emma, are you okay? I haven't heard from you the last three days. Have a lovely weekend._  
 _Regina"_

###

 _"So, I guess you're just very busy with unpacking and the new job. Send me a message or call me whenever you've got a spare minute. This lazy lady who should be working right now would welcome any distraction from this boring case"_

###

 _"Miss Swan, I'm really starting to get worried. Are you okay? "_

###

 _Dear Mr. Robin Locksley,_

 _It is our pleasure to inform you that the Gepetto Restaurant Company is offering you the position as the general manager at our newest addition to our collection of restaurants in New York City._

 _We were told your original ideas concerning the possible theme of the restaurant by Mr. August Booth and we would be proud to call a creative person like you a member of our team._  
 _There are stressful, yet exciting times ahead of us and we hope our working relationship will successfully last for many years._

 _Please get in touch once again with Mr. A. Booth as soon as you have made your decision. Enclosed are his phone number and email address._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Marco Carpentiere_  
 _Owner of Gepetto Restaurant Company_

###

 _"Emma, I just need to ask. Do you want space? Let me know please, I'm going crazy here._  
 _Regina"_

###

Regina left the office early today. It has officially been one week since she had last heard from Emma. By now she was telling herself that everything was fine, Emma just needed some time and space to get used to her new environment. Calling her friend would only make her homesick and she wanted to avoid that. No one knew when Emma would come back to New York after all.

"Let her get used to Storybooke and her new job. I'm sure she's fine, otherwise someone would have called you, Regina. Give her some time," Mal had advised when Regina brought up the issue for what seemed like the seventeenth time.

"What is going on?" Regina muttered quietly when she arrived at the mansions' grand front yard. The lights in the hallway and living room were on. Regina checked her silver watch. It was 5:30 PM and the only other person who owned a key was Leopold. Why would he be home at this time on a Wednesday evening which he always spent with his friends? She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widened in horror. An unsettling feeling began to well up inside of her.

Walking up the stairs to open the door she heard her mother's voice in her head. "The next time I'm calling you surely will have something exciting to tell me," she'd said with a knowing chuckle on her face when they had met for dinner on Monday night.

Regina brought her hands up to her face to cover her eyes. Taking in a deep breath she entered the house.

"Leo," she called after hearing rattling sounds emerging from the kitchen. "Is that you?"

"Regina! You're home early," he stated bluntly when she stepped into the room that was filled with a delicious smell.

Leopold turned away from the stove for a blink of an eye to pull her in for a quick peck on her plum coloured lips.

"I'm making dinner today, didn't expect you to come home for another half an hour," he said, a frown appearing on his full face.

"I didn't expect you to be home this early either," Regina mumbled quietly. Her breathing was heavy, her eyes still wide in confusion.

"I'm just -" she paused staring out of the window briefly. "I'll just go and freshen up until dinner is ready." She offered an apologetic smile before turning around on her heels which she hadn't taken off yet.

"Don't take too long, I'll be finished soon with the tagliatelle. I don't want the food to get cold."  
Before she could leave the kitchen he added, "Make sure to wear something nice, Regina. We're going out afterwards."

Regina nodded, a lump forming in her throat. She quickly made her way back into the hallway stuffed with pictures of Leopold and Eva to get out of her heels and her dark grey coat. Whilst going upstairs, she fished her phone out of her purse to type a message to Emma.

 _"Emma, I think he's going to propose. I don't know what to do… I can't just say yes to marrying a guy my mother picked for me. Please call me ASAP."_

###

Regina drew her knees to her chest and rested her arms, which were supporting her head, on top of her legs. She sat on the satin sheets of the double sized king bed in the dimly lit master bedroom.

She was alone in the empty mansion. He had left to share the good news with his friends. Regina had told Leo she wasn't feeling too well, she'd rather stay home with a good cup of tea. He had shrugged and told her to not stay up and wait for him, it would probably be late.

Truth was, Regina needed some time for herself. To process. To stop her mind from racing. To at least try and keep herself from falling apart.

Regina took a deep breath to compose herself before she lifted her head and opened her watery eyes to focus her gaze on the ring that had been placed on her left hand by Leopold almost three hours ago.

The ring looked stunning, Regina couldn't deny this fact. The band was made out of small round shaped diamonds, a larger cushion cut diamond graced the center. It reflected the silver moonlight shining in through the large window. She hadn't even bothered to close the long dark red curtains that were hanging from the wall when she had went upstairs.

A single tear rolled down her left cheek like the first drop of rain that landed on a window and made its way down in what seemed like slow motion. She couldn't contain an almost inaudible sob when she thought back on her evening with Leopold.

The dinner he had prepared tasted somewhat okay for a person who usually didn't even bother to enter the kitchen to clean his plates. It had been a nice gesture. Leopold had switched on an old record player during the time she had been in the bathroom. Slow music had filled the halls when she had descended the stairs and added to the tension that had been present since Regina had first entered the kitchen.

She had struggled with eating the food, knowing all too well what was about to happen. She forced herself to eat up the generous plate filled with pasta and even managed to compliment Leo on his non-existent cooking skills. The lump in Regina's throat had grown bigger with every loud tick of the clock.

After dinner he had guided Regina into the living room where the music was coming from to slowly start rocking to the melody. She hadn't known the song. She enjoyed classic music every once in a while but she wasn't as keen on it as her boyfriend.

No, it's _fiancé_ now, she thought sadly.

All she could think about while they had been dancing was how nothing felt right. Their intertwined fingers didn't fit into each other like they were supposed to. His hand on her waist, which wandered lower and lower with every step they took, didn't belong there. It had made her feel uncomfortable and sick to her stomach.

Regina had never liked Leopold touching her, but this evening it had been worse than ever before. Partly because she knew what was about to come and partly because she had been cursing herself for her choice of dress the minute she made her way downstairs. She had opted for a figure hugging low-cut red dress that stopped just above her knees. His wandering hands on her body had matched his hungry gaze that had been fixed on her cleavage whenever she tried to make an effort and look into his almost black eyes.

After she once again inhaled a deep breath, she blocked out the thoughts about the evening for a few calming seconds. Regina grabbed her phone and got up from the bed in a trance-like state and stumbled down the stairs. She didn't know where she was heading to. All she knew was that she needed to get out of their bedroom as quick as possible. She shared too many memories with Leopold in this room. Memories she forcefully tried to suppress.

The calm was short-lived before the storm came crashing down on Regina. Her mind drifted back off to relive the evening with Leopold.

The air had still been filled with an unspoken tension which always seemed to be prominent whenever she and Leopold were in the same room. She had felt it starting to thicken when he had taken both of Regina's hands in his and had guided her wordlessly into the hallway. He stopped in his tracks underneath one of the many pictures of him and Eva. Her efforts to breathe had felt pointless. There had been nowhere near enough air to prevent the panic from creeping up her spine that had been welling up from deep within her.

He had squeezed her hands and made a small step backwards and started speaking with his deep voice slowly, "Regina, we've known each other for quite a while now." She had forced herself to a slight smile.

Regina flashed back to reality. She knew where she was headed to now. It was the exact same spot in the hallway which Leopold had lead her to what seemed like only a few minutes ago to her. Her legs started trembling and she couldn't hold back the tears which were pooling in her chocolate brown eyes. Her breathing became more rapidly as she covered her eyes, that were crested with smudged mascara, with her shaking hands. The pictures in her mind of the evening came crashing down on her just as she fell to her knees.

"And I want you to know that I think you are a special woman," he had continued while lifting his hesitant gaze up to one of the pictures of the wall. "I need to make sure that no one else will be able to take this beautiful woman away from me," Leopold had added.

He had carefully gotten down on his knees, using his wrinkled hands to support his aging body. "Regina, be the new Queen to this old King," Leopold had made the words almost sound like an order. It had taken all of Regina's strength to stop her body from showing what she was truly feeling on the inside. Anger. Disgust. But most of all, fear.

"Will you marry me, Regina?" he had asked with certainty in his voice. He had known her answer even before he had asked the burning question, her mother had made sure of that.

She had had no other option but using her trembling voice to say the one word that'd had the power to make her entire world fall apart in one split second.

"Yes."

Her thoughts were racing. Her mind conjured the image of her mother many years ago when she had told her that _she_ was the one who knows what's best for her. Will _always_ know what's best for her. Mother had made all of her major life decisions. Which college to attend, which career path she was going to take and now she had even chosen a future husband for her.

A man who only cared about himself. The only other person he had only truly loved beside himself had been his late wife who was staring down at Regina with her empty eyes from the pictures on the wall.

She was going to marry the person who only saw her as a means to an end, wether it be an object to show off in front of people or somebody who could satisfy his needs.

Regina felt trapped. She sat on the floor, tears were streaming down her pale face like pearls falling from a broken necklace. The emotional rollercoaster she had kept in the entire evening finally seemed to break through the walls she had created to hide it.

A wave of nausea hit Regina, a vein on her forehead was pounding prominently. Suddenly it seemed like the walls of he hallway were coming closer, her breathing quickened as her eyes widened in shock.

 _What have I done_ , was the last coherent thought her brain was able to produce before she saw black as her hands went up to cover her bloodshot eyes.

A piercing scream which turned into desperate sobs filled the silent hallway. Regina got up, dragged the door open and ran outside without looking back. Her hands squeezed into fists, she came to a halt on the damp pavement of the mansion's front yard. Raindrops were running over her face, her neck, her shoulders, her bare arms and legs and slowly helped to relax all the tensed muscles in her body.

She couldn't tell for how long she had been standing in the pouring rain. All she knew was, it was finally calming down her mind. Her breathing steadied, but her knees remained shaking. Regina felt control return. She fearfully looked back at the enormous house and realised, that the icy wind had shut the door. She didn't have a spare key.

Another wave of anxiety hit her. She tried to dig her nails deeper into the skin of her palms when she noticed she was carrying her phone in her right hand which blocked her from reaching her skin. She checked the time. Almost two AM. No missed calls or messages.

She didn't know what to do. Who would even be awake, she thought to herself, tears falling down her cheeks. She would have to wait until Leopold would be coming home and then explain to him of all people why she looked like a mess and stood outside in the dead of night while raindrops were falling from the clouds like there was no tomorrow. She had chosen a great night to get herself locked out. With trembling fingers Regina opened the messaging app to send Emma another text. Her last chance.

 _"Emma please, I need you to call me. He proposed. I didn't have a choice but saying yes. I will get married to a man that doesn't even care about me. He went out with his friends afterwards. I stayed home, told him I wasn't feeling well. I can't handle all of this. I stormed outside and now I'm locked out. Please, just call me back. I need someone to talk to."_

###

Robin sat at his computer and neatly wrote down all of his ideas for the Enchanted Forest restaurant when his phone screen lit up. The second text today from the unknown number.

While reading the message his eyes widened slightly at how desperate the person seemed for her friend to call her back. Robin had already felt bad for not calling when the first text arrived. Even though this was none of his business, he had made up his mind. He was going to call this stranger who clearly needed some kind of moral support.

He pressed _call_ and after only one beeping sound a trembling voice answered.

"Emma, you're okay."

"Uh, hi. This isn't Emma," he replied and scratched his head with his free hand. When the person on the other end didn't react he continued, "My name is Robin. Robin Locksley. I think somebody must've given you a wrong phone number. You've been texting me all week. Are you okay?"

A harsh intake of air was the answer to his statement.

"Okay, so uhm… please don't freak out. I know I'm not the person you expected to hear but I would love to help you. You said you're locked out and can't get back inside? It's raining cats and dogs, do you want me to pick you up?" he offered and smiled even though he knew the stranger wouldn't be able to see it.

"Sorry. I -," she stopped and he thought he heard a sob coming from the other side.

"I don't mean to upset you any further, I just want to help you. I read all of your texts and I couldn't stand not being there for you any longer. You seem in desperate need of help. I live in Midtown, are you close by to Central Park? I could catch the subway and meet you there if you'd like to," he said with a calming voice. The words seemed to be bubbling out of him like water from a fountain.

After a beat. "I'm on the Upper West Side. I'm close to Verdi Square." Her voice sounded raspy.

She must've been crying, he concluded.

"So I'll take this as a yes?" he asked carfeully, trying to not make her even more upset than she already sounded.

"Yes," she whispered.

"I'll meet you at Verdi Square in about 20 minutes if that is okay with you."

Silence was the only reply he got.

"I'll be at the Verdi Statue. If you decide against going there, it's fine too," he stated warmly.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Okay, see you then. Bye."

Robin hung up the phone and quickly grabbed his jacket. Before closing the door he went back inside his small flat to grab an umbrella to shield himself from the rain and a hoodie for the stranger, just in case she was cold. He tiptoed down the stairwell as not to wake the neighbours and stepped into the chilly night air of New York City.


End file.
